Semi-automatic telephone-exchange system.



F. R. McBERTY.

SEMI-AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE EXCHANGE SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED ocr. 24. I910.

1 1 4 1 ,352 Patented June 1, 1915.

l SHEETSSHEET 1.

Fig.

cikl/o F. R. McBtRTY.

SEMI-AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE EXCHANGE SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 24. I910- Patented Juno 1, 1915. g YSHEETST-SHEET 2.

//7ve/7/0/ Frank R. M -Ber/y.

gnesses APPLICATION FILED OCT. 24 I910.

Patented J 11116 1, 1915.

F. R. McBERTY.

SEMI-AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE EXCHANGE SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 24, I9I0.

Patented June 1, 1915.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 4- W/fnesses: 7 MW //7 vemor" Fran/r R. M fierf y.

, F. R. McBERTY.

SEMI-AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE EXCHANGE SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 24. m0.

F. R. McBERTY.

SEMI-AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE EXCHANGE SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 24. 1 910- 1,141,352. Patented June 1, 1915.

" "'11 SHEETSSHEET s.

F/q. 6. F/q. 7.

VV/fnesses: //7 vemori (i I V Fran/r R. M fierfy F. R. McBERTY.

SEMI-AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE EXCHANGE SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 24. I910.

1,14 1,352. Patented June 1, 1915.

7 SHEETS-SHEET I- W/fnessesx m Venfor I My ow TED STATES PATENT Omen."

FRANK R. lYIcBERT-Y, OF NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK, ASS IGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SEMI-AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE-EXCHANGE SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1,:1915.

Application filed October 24, 1920. Serial No. 588,840.

:Automatic vTelephone-Ei zchange Systems, of

which the following is in full, clear, concise, and 'eXact description.

My invention relates to telephone ex change systems and contemplates in general an improved organization and arrangement of'circuits and apparatus, whereby the co'ntrol of the interconnection of telephone lines and trunk lines in a system comprised in whole or part of exchanges of the semimechanical type, may. be 'at all times so maintained and exercised that such interconnection may be 'accomplished speedily and with precision.

The object of my invention is to provide for: use in an exchange of the semiqn'eehanical type, in which the interconnection of subscribers lines and trunk lines-is designed -to be accomplished by mechanical switching apparatus controlled by'an opera-tor, an operators sending or controlling equipment comprising .means whereby such intercon nection'may be simply and easily controlled and whereby such controlling means-and the various parts thereof may be automatically placed in orout-of operative relation with the apparatus which it is designed to control at proper-stages in the operation thereof. v

A' further object of my invention is'to provide in an operators sending or controlling equipment, asdesigned. for fuse in a semi mechanical exchange, improved andhotel meansjo'r automatically controlling a plurality of selecting operations in afsing e sending operation bythe repeated'and successive use of a' part "or parts thereof capable of exercising suchcontrol.

'A f11rther object'of my invention, is to provide, as a."pa1.t" )f an operators sending or controlling equipment in asemi-mechani cal telephonel'exchange,{simple and efiic ent selection. controlling means adapted to accu rately control selections of various extent and eharacter, and to arrange suchmeansin said operators sending'or cont'rollingequipmerit in 'sucha manner that it maybe readily and quickly're'stored: to normal and prepared for a subsequent controlling operatin ni A further object of my invention is to provide,in a semi-mechanical telephone exehange,vimproved and novel means for controlling the automatic selection of trunk 'lines leading from such exchange to a distant exchange, whether such distant exchange isof the semi-mechanical type or of the manual type, and that such selection may be accomplished, accurately and vwith rapidity.

A further objectflof my invention is to provide an improved and novel operators such equipment, by theoperati'on of self:

contained means and without the interposition of any additional act on the part of the operator, or any extraneous mechanism, will adapt-itself for the proper control of the connection hatever may be the Cl1lIflGt81 Of the exchange'toward whichthe call is. directed, and whatever may be the manner of the operation of such exchange.

-A further object of my invention is' to provide, in an operators I sending, or controlling equipment for exchanges of the semi-mechanical type, improved and'noyel supervisory apparatus; whereby there is indicated before the operator at all times l'during'the control of selectioma signal or sig-- nals indicating'to llQ-Ijtll stageireachedjby, the con-trolling apparatus in such control.

More particularly, my invention relates-toswitching system involving ,an improved operator-s sending: or controlling equipment adapted for use withIsystemsof practically any size, ha-vingjany desiredgrpnping 01 lines or trunks, the various exchangcsiof such'systems .b eing varied in their character and in the character of the operation there of, such sending or controlling equ pment being adapted to. operate.withaccuracy and at'high speed to cause the various selecting and trunk-hunting operations throughout; a

train ofselectors to takejplace,in p per sequence and with absoluteprec sion.

Myinv'enticn to this end involves means in an operators sendingeqnipm'ent adapted under the control of .a key pn-keys to: p m

form a series of controlling" operationsiito s'uccessiycly control, o'yer a single selecting or controlling circuit, a series of mechan sms. brought one after anot'her-into association" desired with such circuit, such series of mechanisms this sending equipment being furthermore adapted for rapid operation by comparatively feeble current impulses transmitted over long lines or cables, and to continue automatically to perform the entire sequence of controlling operations at proper intervals-and in definite order without requiring any attention from the operator beyond the initial registration of the call upon the key or keys.

pling equipment involving such translating further or separate act Another feaure of my invention involves the arrangement in an operators sending apparatus of registers or translating devices, whereby a number designating a line to be selected, indicated by the operator upon keys arranged according to the decimal system of notation, may be stored up and translated by such registers or translators in such a manner that the selection controlling devices operated under the control of suchreglsters or translators will, if necessary, select the line desired and'indicated. upon the keys, even though the lines from which such line must be selected or the trunks through which such line must be connected are not, or a part of them are not, arranged according to the decimal system of notation.

--An6therfeature of my invention involves means, in an operators sending or controlsired'to associate the sending equipment and unite it therewith, nection until the sendingequipment has cally disconnect it maintaining such concompleted its operation, and then automatifrom thefconnecting circuit, leaving it .free to be associated with another connecting circuit to control another connection.

other feature of my invention vinvolves means -whereby a ,singlesetof keys ma suifice to control the operation ofa plurality of sender mechanisms proper, such control of theline desired is" .to determine the. contr being exercised-through the interposition. of .60

register devices upon which thedesignati on registered orstored up 0 Jm aa ns r s" the completion of, suekregistsation per-- mit thsekeys to to the registers of another such; $911693 themselves form no .part of with which it is detively above and below ment of automatic sequence switching device-s, each provided wlth switch contacts arranged to control circuits to insure theproper operation of the various parts of the sender and in turn of the sequence switching/{devices themselves. y invention also includes certain details of the construction and organization of the apparatus and circuits involved in my improved operators sending equipment by which the foregoing operations and other operations incidental to the proper and expeditious control of a system of this charac ter may be best accomplished.

he accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred form of i show as portions thereof features which in my. present invention, and are not therefore claimed in my -invention,

this application. These features are claims in my applications for Letters Patent'as follows :Serial No. 515,933, filed September 2, L909, for'selective controlling appa- 1 ratus; Serial No. 451.868, filed September 5'.

1908, for sequence switch; Serial No. 511,983;

filed August 9, 1909, for telephone exchange systems. I

In the draw ngs, Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, when placed together, form a single diagram illustrhting diagrammatically the apparatus and circuits involved in an operators send-.

ing equipment inaccordance with my invention; the lines which extend to the' edge of each sheet being continued on the neighboring sheets. The proper arrangement'of' the sheets for viewing the equipmentas a whole is made by placing Fig. 2 immediately below Fig. 1;"Fig. 3 should then be placed, to the left of Fig. 2 and Figs. 4 and5 respec- Fig. 3. Figs. 6,7, 8 and 9 show a form structure which may be with my invention. 1 I Sequence switches-The local controlling circuits associated with various parts of the used in connection of sequence switch 7 a o erators sender-or controllin e u1 ment' disclosed herein, which must be established in definite order at successive stages of the operation tobringlinto service thedifferent or: parts as they. arerequired, are embodiment of mgjinvention, ablishedsby': a o tic switching p rise "termed eq ence:

of such spring. Then as the motor magnet is excited and the shaft of the sequence switch begins to rotate. the contact through which the motor magnet was initiallv excited may be broken;'but thelocal circuit will be maintained for the motor magnet through the contact 40 closed by the cam 36, and the rotary element will continue to ad- Vance until the cam'roller 37' reaches the bottom of the next notch' of the cam 36.

Inthe circuit diagram herein, illustrating my invention, the switch springs of the sequence switches are .not shown in their actual arrangement, but are so located as to give the clearest arrangement of circuits;

and the operating cams are notshown. The

positions of the rotary'element'of each sequence switch in which any of its contacts are closed are indicated by numbers placed adjacent to such contacts, each contact being open in all positions except those indicated by the adjacent numbers. Furthermore, the sequence switch contacts may be identified with the sequence switch motor apparatus indicated upon the diagrammatic showing .bythe fact that the Hundreds digit'of the reference character applied to .each sequence switch contact is the same as the hundreds digit ofthe reference character applied to the sequence switch with which it is associated. For example, .the sequence switch contact 207 is operated by the. sequence switch 222, see Fig. 2, and is closed in the second and third positions of such sequence switchas indicated by the numerals 2 and 3 placed adjacent to that contact but isopen 'in all other positions of the sequence switch;

on the other hand the sequence switch contact 310 is operated vby the sequence switch 336 and is closed in the third, fifth, seventh,

, ninth, eleventh and thirteenth positions of such sequence switch as is indicated by the numerals adjacent to such, sequence switch contact, but is open in all the'othe'r positions of this sequence switch 336. Each sequence switch has, however, as has been before noted, a special contact governing the local circuit of its'motor magnet, such as the contact 40 operated by the cam 36 in Fig. 9. As these special contacts, which are represented by-the contacts 101, 201 and 301 of the respective sequence switches 110,222 and 336 upon the drawings, are closed only while the rotary element of the sequenceswitch is in transit from one stopping posit on to the next the numbers are placed on the side of the switch lever opposite from the contact and indicatepositionsin which such contact is, open, such contact bein closed'while the rotary element is in transit between the positions indicated by the numbers. Thu'sby reference to the numerals 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 15

appearing, adjacent to the switch lever of the special contact 201 of the. sequence,

switch 222 it is seen that this contact is'open 1n the first position of,the sequence switch, closed between the first and second positions, open in the second, closed continuously between the second and fifth positions, open in the fifth, closed between the fifth and sixth positions, open in the sixth, and so on. The contact being continuously closed between the second and 'fifth'positions, between the ninth and fifteenth positions, and between the fifteenth and normal positions ofthe sequence switch so that the sequence switch will not stop in the intermediate positions, but stop only in those indicated by the numerals.

Keys and riegisters.The variouscircuits which determine ,theselection controlling.

operations of the operators sender or'cons trolling equipment shown herein are established by .a plurality of recordingdevices,

such line 'or trunk is grouped or classified upon a non-decimal basis, translation is required inorderthat the number keys, which are usually arranged according to the decimal system, may cause operations of the sender proper, in the embodiment shown a set of so-called counting relays, to control the selection according to the non-decimal grouping of lines and trunks in an exchange. In '.the equipment shown, where such translation is necessary or .desirable, it' is accomplished by the registers referred to,

which are in this instance adapted to take positions in response to the depression of keys representing a number according-to the; decimal system, and in such position to control selecting operations according to a non decimal system, such selection controlling operations governing a selection according to such translated system of the number designated-,by thekeys. 'Wh en, however, the line desired is tobe found in an exchange in which the grouping of lines'and trunks is upon the decimal system the registers will take-positions in response to the'depression of the keys representing the number according to the decimal system, and will in turn produce selection controlling operationsaccording to the decimal system ofinotation. As will be hereinafter pointed out, whether this control will involve translation or not willdepend upon the oflice key, depressed andjwill notrequire any additional or fur-5 1 ,141 ,asa

their act by the operator than the depression of the keys indicating the designation of the line desired.

The registers which are associated with the counting relays also serve to record or store up designations indicated by any com-- bin-ation of depressed keys, and thereby es tablish permanent conditions for governing the conditions of selection controlling operations required to cause the selection of the desired line, so that when the call is thus registered or stored up upon one sender apparatus the set of may be used thereafter to register another call upon another sender apparatus before the first sender apparatus has finished the selection controlling operationsof the first call. There may be, and is preferably, one key for each ollice or exchange of the system, and also a bank of number keys, which, as diagrammatically indicated, comprise four rows of ten keys each, representing the figures 0 to 9, inclusive, of thousands, hundreds, tensand units digits respectively. 'lhese keys, both the acter. Each key when depressed is adapted to close certain contacts governing circuits which are shown in the diagram and which will be hereinafter traced in detail.

The preferred form of the registers, such as are used in connection with my invention and shown diagrammatically in Fig. 3, is the same as that of the sequence switches llereinbefore referred to and described, with the addition of a stop relay. These registers are shown each as embodying the usual power magnet, a stop relay and a plurality of sets of contact devices. The sets of contact devices shown above the power magnet and stop relay are those connected to the o erators keys and by which is determined t e position and the sets of contact devices located below the power magnet and stop relay upon Figs. 3 and 5 are the ones closed in the-various positions of the register to determine the opera tion of the sender proper. The reg1sters, as do the sequence switches, involve a special contact which in the registers is open lneach of the positions of the register but closed tween each two positions thereof. This special contact is shown items-4 to the left of the associated pon r ct. E3 in I :w the ordinary sequence sweat-76 h w 1n which the register will stop,

brushes adapt devices of the registers are open in all the positions except those indicated upon the drawings immediately adjacent the contact devices. It will be noted, however, that the positions of the registers range from zero to nine and that there is no normal position of the register, the register remaining, after it has performed its function, in the {position in which it was set, and when next taken for use in connection with the operators keys, it starts from such position.

As shown in the circuit diagram, each sender device proper forming a part of my invention may have, and preferably does have, six registers associated therewith, corresponding respectively to the districts of the system, the oflices in a district, and the thousands, the hundreds, the tons and the units of the designation of the line desired. As'will behereinafter described, when the registers are brought successively into association with the sender or selection controlling apparatus proper, herein shown as counting relays, the contact devices shown below the power magnets of the respective registers will control the operation of such counting relays to accomplish the selection controlling operation desired. Thus when the tens key 427 is depressed, for example, it causes the tens register to take up its sixth or No. 5 position, thereb closing the contact device 608, whichat t e proper time will ground conductor 725 leading to the counting relays to control the action of such relays, which relays'i n turn govern, the selection controlling operation of the sender as a whole. It will be noted that both the district and office registers respond to the depression of a single key of the set of office keys, whereas the other registers of the numerical keys to take oppositions corresponding to the depressed he s in their respecti-vey associated sets of eye. In each position the cams of the registers will close a certain distinctivefcom'bination of switch contacts, whereby the 0 eration of the counting relays may be con rolled.

Cordflnder.-Th cord finder forming a part of the embodiment "of my. invention hereim' 'shown' may be of any suitable con-. struction, but epreferably involves a set of to sweep overthe terminals l ading to" the varions'connecting circuits o stop with brushes incontact with "t min -bis i" ng to the connectlng cirftover wha f desired to interconnect the desired line with a calling line. The structure of. this-cord finder may be of any suitable design and the particular structure shown forms no essential part of my invention. The operation of the cord finder will sufiiciently appear from the description of the operation of my invention as a whole, it being understood that the power magnet 226 serves as an electromagnetic clutch to couple the constantly rotating power shaft upon which such magnet is mounted with the disk mounted upon the shaft of the 'coi'd finder carrying the contact brushes, such disk' being of soft iron and forming the armature of said power magnet. The ar- 'rangement and operation of the counting relays as such will also sufficiently appear in the description of theoperation of my invention as hereinafter set forth and need not be separately described in detail.

General description and operation-Referring particularly to the diagrammatic showing'of myinvention in Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings, the operation of theform of my invention shown therein is as follows \Vhen a call has been received by thejoperator it is necessary that an operators sending or controlling equipment, such as the one embodying my invention shown herein, be associated with the connecting circuit which has been taken for use in receiving a call and over which the calling'line is to be interconnected with the desired line.' vIn order to bring this about the switch 108 is closed, which establishes a circuit from battery 109 through the connecting circuit sequence switch 110, sequence switch contact 102, switch 108, to ground and back to battery. Before proceeding with the consideration of the results accomplished by the closure of this circuit, it should be noted that the switch 108 may be such as to be operated manually by the operator at the proper time, or it may be, and is preferably, arranged to be automatically operated by the apparatus associated with the connecting circuit taken for use when the connecting circuit is united with the calling line, or upon the depression of an operators listening key, or at any other suitable time. Since, however, the particular means for operating the switch forms no part of my present invention, such means need not be further considered. v It should also be further noted that the connecting circuit proper, over which the conversation isactually to take place, is not shown herein, since it in itself forms no part of my present invention. The leads 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, and 248, however,'are individual to and associated with the connecting circuit, the leads 113 and 114 being the usual sender leads of the connecting circuit, and it is over these leads, which are connected to the connecting circuit proper in the usual and well-known manner, that the controlling circuit is established to control the operation of the usual and well known selector switches necessary to obtain the desired connection. Since, therefore, these leads referred to are suflicient to typify the connecting circuit and to make clear the arrangement and o eration of the various parts and, features 0 my invention and its relation to the connecting circuit, they alone are shown in order to simplify as much as possible the disclosure.

A circuit having been completed through the connecting circuit sequence switch 110 by the closure of the switch 108, this sequence switch 110 is energized and moi's from its first or normalposition into its sec- 0nd position. In this position the sequence switch contact 102 is opened so that original energizing circuit of the sequence switch 110 is no longer closed and the sequenceswitch contacts 103, 101, 105, 106 and 107 are closed. The closure of the sequenceswitch contact 106 has established 'acircuit from the battery 221 through the sequence switch 222 of the first cord finder, conductor 223, sequence switch contact 202 of the first cord finder sequence switch, conductor 224, sequence switch contact 275 of the sequence switch associated with the second cord finder, conductor 111, sequence switch contact 106, to ground and back to battery. The closure of this circuit energizes the cord finder sequence switch 222 whichmoves from its first or normal position into its second position, thereupon opening the sequence switch contact 202 and closing the sequence switch contacts 203, 205, 207, 208, 209, 210 and 217.

A circuit is now closed from the battery 225, through the power magnet 226 of the cord finder apparatus, generally indicated as 227, sequence switch contact 205, back contact and armature 228 of the test relay 229 to ground and back to battery. The cord finder thereupon starts to move and continues its movement until the brushes 230, 231, 110 232, 233 and 231 reach the terminals 235, 236, 237, 238. 239 associated with'the particular connecting circuit taken for use. As soon as these terminals are reached by the brushes a circuit is completed from the bat- 5 tery 240 through the test relay 229, sequence switch contact 203, brush 230, terminal 235,

conductor 112. sequence switch contact 107 to ground and back to battery. The test relay 229 is thereupon energized and attracts its armature 228 opening the circuit of the power magnet and thereby stopping the movement of the cord finder. The same movement of the armature 228 has closed the circuit from the battery 225 through the holding magnet 212, sequence switch contact 207, front contact and armature 228 of the test relay 229 to ground and back to battery. By the closure of this circuit the holding magnet is energized and serves to maintain the cord finder in the positionit now occupies.

Simultaneously with the closure pf the circuit through the holding'magnet 242 the armature of the test relay 229 has closed a circuit from the battery 221 through the se uence switch 222, sequence switch contact 21%, frontcontact and armature 228 of the test relay 229 to ground and back to Battery. This again energizesthis sequence" switch which now moves out of its second position and continues to move, due to the closure of the special sequence switch contact 201 in positions 3 and 4, until it reaches its fifth position. The sequence switch in moving from second position has opened the quence switch contacts 205 and 217, and in moving past its third positionhas opened the sequence switch contacts 203 and 207. \Vhen, however, this sequence switch reaches its fourth position the sequence switch contact 204 is closed and upon reaching its fifth position sequence switch contacts 200 and 212 are also closed and the sequence switch comes to rest in its fifth position. Upon the closure of the sequence switch contact 210, which took. place at the time the cord finder sequence switch came into its second position and which sequence switch contact is still closed, a circuit was established from the battery 421 through the various key-locking magnets 4'22 in parallel, conductor 244-, se quence switch Contact 210 to ground and back to battery. The closure of this circuit energizes the various locking magnets 422,

which magnets are assi'iciated. with the re spcctive sets of manually operable keys be fore the operator, through which keys the perator controls the operation of the sending apparatus by indicating thereon the designation of the line desired.- These locking magnets, as will be well understood, serve to hold a depressed key in its depressed position so long as the circuit through the locking magnets is maintained.

As the cord finder sequence switch reaches its fourth position it closes and maintains closed in the fifth position the sequence switch contact 204, as has been before noted. This establishes a circuit from the battery 240 through the test relay 229, sequence switch contact 204, reset relay 332, sequence switch contact 304, conductor 245, cord finder brush 232, contact 237, conductor 115, sequence switch contact 105 to groundand back to battery. This circuit maintains the test relay energized and energizes the reset relay 332 which relay immediately upon its energization closes for itself by its armature 333 and its front contact alocking circuit independent of the sequence switch contact 30%, such circuit, however, except for the sequence switch contact 304, being the circuit just tr'aced. The energization of the reset relay 332 has also caused it to attract sequence switch contacts 303, and 306.

l/Vith the connecting circuit sequence switch 110 in its second position, the cord finder sequence switch 222 in its fifth position and the sender sequence switch 336 in its second position the apparatus is now ready to"receive upon the maniially operable keys thereof the designation of the line desired. This desired line may eitlicr be a particular subscribefls line or private branch trunk line, in an. exchange in which the interconnection. of lines is accomplished by mechanical or semi-mechanical means, or it may he. a trunk line leading to a manually operable exchange. It will be further noted that the desired line or trunk may or may not be one of a plurality arranged upon the decimal system of notation.

e will first assume that the line desired is located in an exchange in which the lines and trunk lines leading to such lines are arrariged according to the decimal system of notation. In the particular showing herein such an exchange is indicated bythe otlice key No. 2, which is the third. key from the top of the set of oflice keys to the extreme lei't of Fig. 4. lVe will further assume. for the purpose of illr wtration, that the line desired is No. 3752 in the or change referred to. The first act of the operator will be. therefore, the depression of the district and oilice key representing the exchange No. 2 and the depression of the No.3 thousands key, the fourth key in the set, the No. 7 hundreds key,.the eighth key in the set, the No. 5v tens key, the sixth key in the set, and the No. 2 units key, the third key in the set. Immediately upon the depression of the office and districtkey. a circuit is closedas follows :from battery 501 through conductor 502, register operating magnets 503 and 504 of the district and ofiice registers, respectively, and the back contacts and armatures 505, 506 of their stop relays in parallel, eonductor 246, sequence switch contact 208, conductor 423, right hand contact spring of the third or No. 2 oiii'cekey 424 to ground and back to battery.

Upon the ehergization of the register opcrating or power magnet 503, the district register 507 will commence to move until it reaches its third or No. 2 position in which position the contact device 509 associatedwith the depressed otlice key 424 will be closed. A circuit llthereupon be established from the battery 50]. through the conductor 502, conductor 510, stop relay 511 of the district register, contact device 509, lefthand contact springs of the office key 121 to ground and back to battery. Immediately -upon 'the closure of this'circuit the stop relay 511v will attract its armature 505 opening the circuit of and thereby deenergizing the registeroperating magnet 503 to stop the district register in its third position.

At the same time that the district register is moving to close the circuit heretofore described through the stop relay 511 the oilice register 513 is moved due to the energization of the office register operating magnet 50-1 and will move until it reaches its third or No. 2 position in which position the contact device 515 associated with the depressed ofiice key 424; will be closed. The closure of this contact device completes a circuit from the battery 501 through onductor 502. conductor 516, stop relay 517 of the oliice register, contact device 515, oiiice key 121 to ground and back to battery. This will cause the'stop relay 517 to attract its armature I 506 opening the circuit of and thereby deenergizing the oflice register operating magnet 501 and' causing the oihce register to stop in its third position with the contact device 515 closed. The same movement of the armature 506 has closed a circuit from the battery 221 through the cord finder sequence switch 222, sequence switch contact 212, conductor 513., front contact and armature 506 of the stop relay 517, conductor 246,. sequence switch contact 208, conductor 423,ofiice key 421 to ground and back to bat tery. The closure of this circuit causes the cord finder sequence switch to leave its fifth position and move into its sixth position, thereby opening the sequence switch contact 212 and closing the sequence switch contact The district register in response to the de pression of the third or No. 2 oi'lice key and the closure of the contact device 509 associated with such key has come to rest in its third or No. 2 position. In this position the sender controlling contact devices 601. 602 and 632 of the dist ict register will be closed and all of its other contact devices will remain open. Similarly, by reference to Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawings, it wzll be seen that in the oflice register the contact device 603 is closed and all the others open in the third or No.2 position of the register in which it now is.

The movement of the sender sequence switch 336 into its third position has closed the sequence switch contacts 309, 310, 311, 312, and 31 1. The closure of the sequence switch contact 309 has closed the circuit at the sender over which the control of the selecting operations at the distant selector switching apparatus is exercised, such circuit being indi cated by the conductors 113 and 114, the closure of this circuit energizing, by means of the inclusion in the circuit of a battery located, as is usual and customary, at the selector switching apparatus, the stepping relay 701, which thereupon attracts its armature 702 opening a circuit at the backcontact thereof and closing a circuit at the front contact thereof. The selecting or controlling circuit having been closed. by the sequence switch contact 309 at the sender end thereof the selector switching apparatus at the apparatus at the distant end will begin to move due to the closure of such circuit mi d will, as is usual and customary in apparatus of this kind, intermittently cut oif the current, by any means such as'inay be 'pre-' ferred, from the relay 701, thereby causing the alternate energization and deenergiZation of such relay. The intermittent operation of this relay will, therefore, correspond with the movement of the selector apparatus and in the form of my invention herein shown it will be assumed that the relay 701, which is known as the stepping relay, will be energized and deenergized once for each selective movement or stage of the selector switching apparatus, which may be at any particular time under the control, of the sender apparatus. The original energization, however, of the stepping relay 701 has by the attraction of its armature 702 closed a circuit from the battery 703 through the sequence switch contact 312 and the first relay 711 of one series of the relays known as the counting relays, through the back contact and armature 712 of the first relay 713 of the second series of counting relays, the front contact and armature 702 of the step ping relay 701 to ground and back to battery. The closure of this circuit energizes the first counting relay 711 which attracts its armature and closes for itself a locking circuit from the battery 703, through sequence switch contact 31.2, the first counting relay 711, front contactand armature 714-. of such relay and back to battery. It will, therefore, be seen that the first counting relay 711 will be maintained energized after having once been energized so long as the sequence switch contact 312 remains closed. The energizatien ot the first counting relay 711 has caused its armature 715 to make contact with the front contact associated therewith and upon relay 701 a circuit will be established from the battery 716, through sequence switch contact 311, the first of the counting relays 713, back contact and armature 715 of the second counting relay 711, front contact and armature 7-15 of the first counting relay 711, back contact and armature 702 of the stepping relay 701 to ground and back to battery. The closure of this circuit causes the first counting relay 713 to be energized which, upon drawing up its armatures, opens the original circuit'of the first relay 711, ex tends an energizing circuit for the second relay 711 preparatory for the next energi zation of the stepping relay 701, and furthermore establishes for itself a locking circuit from the battery 716, through sequence switch contact 311, the first of the relays 713,

front contact and armature717 of such relay and back to battery. It will, therefore, be seen that asimilar locking circuit has been established for the first of the relays 713 as was established for the first of the relays 711, this locking circuit being-maintained after having been once established until the opening of the sequence switch contact 311.

Upon the second energization of the stepping re lay 701 a circuit is established from the battery 703' through the sequence contact 312, the second one of the counting relays 711, back contact and armature 712 of the second one of the counting relays 713, front contact and armature 712 of the first one ofthe relays 713, front contact and armature 702- of the stepping relay 701 to ground and back to battery. This circuit, as will be noticed, is similar to the. original energizing circuit of the first relay 711, ex-

cept that it includes the front contact and armature 712 of the first of the relays 713, which has, since the energization of the first relay 711, been energized and locked up to prepare this circuit for the energization of the second relay 711. This second relay 711 will, therefore, attract a locking circuit for itself and preparing a circuit through its armature 715 and the front contact thereof for the energization of the second one of the relays'713, which will take place upon the second deenergization of the stepping relay 701 and the retraction of the armature 702. It will be further noted that this energization of the second one of the relays .713 will, as did the first one of the relays 713 upon its energizas tion, close a locking circuit for itself, open the original energizing circuit for the second relay 711, the operation of which ust preceded the energization of the secon d relay 713, and prepare an energizing-circuit for the next, or first as yet, unoperated, relay 711. This operation of the counting relays 711 and 713 willcqntmlienntllathe en;

switch its armatures closing p u ..ergization of the counting relay 713 corre the ensuing deenergization of the stepping sponding to the contact 601 closed in the district registerv takes place. Immediately upon the energization of this counting relay 713. a circuit will be closed from the battery 718 through the cutoff. relays 719, sequence switch contact 314, conductor (304:, contact device 601. condu'ctor 720, front contact and armature 717 of the counting relay 713 corresponding to the contact 601, in the case assumed the third counting relay 713', to ground and back to battery. .The closure of this circuit energizes the cutoff relays 719, which thereupon attract their armatures, the armature 72.1 opening the selecting or controlling circuit, thereby stopping in the usual manner the selective operation of the selector switching apparatus at the distant end thereof, and the armature 722 closing a circuit from the battery 335 through the sender sequence switch 336, sequence switch contact 310, frontcontact and armature722 of the cutofi relays 719 to ground and back to battery. The closure of this latter circuit/causes the sender sequence switch 336 to move from its third position into its fifth position, thespecial sequence. switch contact 301, being closed in the fourth position, serving to maintain the sender sequence switch 336 energized until the opening of such special'sequence switch contact 301 in the fifth position allows the sender sequence switch 336 to come to rest in such position. This movement of the sender sequence switch has opened and again 1 closed the sequence switch contacts 309, 310, 311 and 312, the temporary opening of the sequence switch contacts 311 and 312 serving to restore to normal all of the counting relays 711 and 713. The'movement of .the sender sequence switch has also opened the sequence switch contact 314 and closed the sequence switch contact 315. 7

It will be here noted that the selection controlling operation in response to the po sition taken by the district register has now been completed, such operation having accomplished the control of the selection of the' district in which the desired oflice is located. Upon the'completion of this first selecting operation over the selecting or controlling circuit 113, 11, 1, the switch 116 associated with the connecting circuit will be operated either manually or by any suitable means controlled by the first selector switching apparatus in which district selection has just been accomplished, which operation will establish a circuit from -battery 109 through the connecting-circuit sequence switch 110,- sequence switch contact 103, switch 116 to ground and back to battery. The connecting circuit sequence switch 110 will thereupon move from its second into. its sixth position. This'movement may be dccomplishedby havingthe special isiialnen'ce switch contact 101 closed in the intermediate positions as herein shown or by any other sui able means which will insure the'movclneut of the sequence switch 110 into its sixth position. Upon leaving its second po sition, the connecting circuit seque switch 110 has opened the sequence swit 1 contacts 103, 101, 100 and 107, but upon reaching its ixth position again cioses the sequence 'h contact 101-. It will be further noted that the sequence switch coir act 10 is maintained closed from the s c ondto the 5 th positions, inclusive, of the connecting circuit sequence switch 110 in order that the energizing circuit for the rcsetrclav 332-. and the. test relay 229 may be nraintained and the iii-matures of thes. relays not permit "1. 2'1) retract. The means whereby the ..-;h 110 is closed as above described be of any suitable character, but is rerablv in the responsive device Sill ll as the relay 117 shown upon the drawings, adapted to be deenergizcd momentarily or otherwise upon the coinpl .icn of the district selection, but since such means forms no part of my present invention. it need not be further shown tion of the counting relays 711 and 713 to normal has opentd the circuit of the'cutoti' relays 719 and the armaturcs 721 and 722 are again retracted, such retractionfas will be noted, having taken place as soon as the sender sequence switch 336 left its third position-and before it had reached its fifth position. A circuit will therefore again be established through the stepping relay 701, the armature 721, sequence switch contact 309 and the conductors 113, 111 "from the sender to the selector switching apparatus in which the second selecting operation necessary for the particular connection desired is to take place. The closure of this circuit has, by the inclusion of the usual or customary battery at the selector switching apparatus, again energized the stepping r lay 701, which by attracting its-armature 702 has closed a circuit from the battery 703 through the sequence switch contact 312, the first of the counting relays? 11, back contact and armature 712 of the-counting relay 713, front contact and armature 702 of the stepping relay 701 to ground and back to battery. The closure of this circuit precisely as in the district selection causes the energization of the first counting relay 711 which thereupon attracts its armatures 714-.

21111 of an clectrocontrolling ,sce

a locking circuit for itself an ener izing circuit. for the l prepare an energizing circuit for the second counting relay a clay 713 which will be closer i ocking circuit for itself and 11, which energizing circuit will he closed as heforeupon the next enerQ gization of the stepping relay 701. The respective counting relays 711 and 713 will, therefore, one after another he energized -in otiice selection as in district selection until the energization of the coi'lnting relay 713 which corresponds to the contact device 603 closed by the ciiice register. -When this counting relay 713 is energized acircuit will he established analogous to the one estab lished in districtscle'ction from the battery 718 thro' E the catch relays 719, sequence switch tor 605, contact device 603 of the k er, conductor 720, front contact at. ture 717 of the counting relay 713 correspondin to the contact de-' l D rice 603, which in the case assumed is the third such. counting relav, to ground and back to battery. This will, as before. energize the cutoff relays 719, opening the circuit through the conductors 113, llland' stopping the increment of the selector switching apparatus at the distant end of the sequence switch contacts 311 and 312 has" as before restored the various count ng re-' lays 711 and 713 to the normal deenergizcd condition. The closure of the sequence switch contact 008 in the fourth position of the sender sequence switch and the opening of this sequence switch contact after the fifth position of the sender sequence switch is without eiiect in the control of the connection assumed, but its utility and operation will he hereinafter referred to in con.

nection with the control of selection in volred in a ,call directed to an exchange of difierent character from the one with which connection is now being brought about. 1

The control of the selection of the district and office in which the line desired is located switch contact 310,-

w mats l e comet o.

ducto r 5?? has now been accomplishediand the sender sequence switch and its associated apparatus is read to initiate the control of the numerical selection of the line desired in the otiice selected. hile the selections hereto fore described have been taking place and bet'orethe further operation of the'counting relays and their associated apparatus can take place the operator depresses the nuniericiil kevs designating the number or the line desired. These lievs have been hereto: fore referred to and pointed out with respect to the line desired, X0. 3752. The numerical hey 2-35 of the thousands set, nu-- merical her i126 of the hundreds set. numerical ltev :27 ot the tens set and numerical l 538 of the units set will therefore he af'uuied to have been depressed by the operator. and each of such hers is now held depressed by the holding magnets individ'ial to the several sets. which magnets are maintained energized by the battery 621 over the same circuit that the holding mag:- net of the oll'ice set oi keys is maintained en-ai nixed. The depression of each of these hers has placed a ground upon one of the contacts of each of the several nun'ierical registers. one of which is associated with each of the sets of keys. The depression of one oi the tl'iouscnds ltevs and one oi the units hers has in addition closed a circuit frmu the battcrv .191 through the conductor 302. operating inaggnet .319 of the thousands r gister. hack contact and armature of the. cutotl' relavirll of such register. conductor 247. sequence switch contact 209, conrighthand contacts 430 of the depressed units key 88. conductor 4.31, righthand contacts of the depressed thousands her 423 to ground and back to battery. l pon the closure of this circuit the operating magnet 01' the thousands register is cnereirzed and such register moves until it reaches its position in which circuit is closed through the contact device 522 connected with the depressed thousands key l" This will be its fourth or No. 3 p0 sitiou, circuit is thereupon established from hatteri 01 through conductor 502, stop relax of the thousands register, contact devic TQ. letthand contacts of the depressed thousands her 425 to ground and back to batterr. upon energised and attracts its armature 5:50. which opens the circuit to the operating magnet 519. stopping the movement of the register in its fourth or No. 3 position. and closes a circuit at its front contact from the battery 532i tl'iroug'h the cord finder sequence switch 3122. conductor sequenc switch contact N3. conductor 5'32. t'ront coin tact and armature 5:20 of the stop relay 5'33, conductor 247. SPHJPHCG switch contacts 209. conductor lr'ifi). contacts S0 of the dcpr. sued "eased their The stop relay 523 is therewhich movement the sequence switch centact 213 will he opened and the energrizangz 1 East no circuit to the sequence, switch 222 scribed will be destroyed.

it the same time that the time.

ister is coining to its set "pUSltlUn.

to the depression of the thousa the closure of, the circuit controlled thousands key and the units hey. iii:

dreds register is moving to its ,sil ion. Hit register operating magnet i325 l einp: r-uer- 3' gized over the circuit including Writ; r 1'? and the contacts of the units and thousa;

he in parallel with the thousands re operating magnet 519. The hundrens ister wilhtherelore. move until it cl tn tact at the contact device 528 uOl l trwll llltl" ing to the depressed hunth-eds key 426. A circuit will thereupon to established tron: hatter 501. conductor 1 stop relay 52?, contact device dep ii zndriais key 9;;

to ground and lrack to lmtier i. he closure of this circuit will cause the ener Zization of the stop relay i}. which spirit at" tracting its armature 5J3 open the circuitof the operating magnet fiili'i singing! the 9;; movement of the re i ter in,

No. 7 position. The same m'oicaieilt oi the armature 526 closes a circuit at I tactwhich extends tr in the in through the cord tinder se pienco switch Q n;

conductor sequence switch contact 31%.

which is closed it the sequence switch in its seventh position. conductor 530, tront contact and armature of the stop relay 529, conductor 2 7. sequence switch contact ins. Q09, conductor 429. contacts 4-35) or the de pressed units key 428. condui'rlor lili. contact of the depressed thousands her .32."; ground and each to attery. lt". due to the closure of the circuit. of the cord finder seo quence switch through thestapienee switch contact 213 lav the attra tion oi the. armature 520 of the stop r ay of t thousands register, the seipieinye .ttch :i..-i

is in its seventh po ition at the 2 ol the closure of the circuit just tracm'l the scan switch will now move into eighth tion. opening the sequence switch contact 5.! l

and closing the sequence switch cos Should. however. the sequence no Still he in its :sixth po iti n the in u! the circuit controlle 'l 1v the i v M the huinlreds register will merit of the sequence 5- itch enth position. due to the eriei gimti i aouranl stop relay 522- of tee Similarly and at the thousands and huudrer 1 rrinc! to their set p sh? also mowing to it 1 the depression of the tens key 427 and the closure of the circuit controlled by the contacts of the units and thousands key. vIn this case again the operating magnet 531 is energized by the battery 501 in parallel with the operating magnets 519 and of the thousands and hundreds registers respectively. The tens register therefore moves until it reaches the position in which circuit is closed through the contact device 534 corresponding to the depressed tens key 427. A circuit is thereupon established from the battery 501, conductor 502, stop relay 535, contact device 534, depressed tens key 427 to ground and back to battery.- The stop relay 535 is thereupon energized attracting its armature 532, opening the energizing circuit of the operating magnet 531 and thereby stopping the movement of the register in its sixth or No. 5 position. The movement ofthe armature 532 of the stop relay 535 has closed at its front contact an energizing circuitaor the cord finder sequence switch 222, provided this sequence switch is now in its eighth position. This circuit may be traced from the battery 221 through the se quence switch 222, conductor 223, sequence switch contact 215, conductor 530, front contact and armature 532 of the stop relay 535, conductor 247, sequence switch contact 209, conductor 429, contact 430 of the depressed units key 428, conductor 431, contacts of the depressed thousands key 425 to ground and back to battery. The closure of this circuit will cause the sequence switch 222 to move into its ninth position. If, however, at the time this circuit is closed at the armature 532 the sequence switch 222 has not yet reached its eighth position the closure of its circuit will not be accomlished until the sequence switch has moved into its eighth position. In this way the regular and complete operation of the various registers and the cord finder sequence switch 222 is readily accomplished. the cord finder sequence switch 222 moving from its sixth to its seventh position only upon the completion of the operation of the thousands register, then moving from its seventh to its eighth position upon the completion of the operation of the hundreds register, or immediately moving from its seventh to its eighth position if the operation of the hundreds register had been completed prior to the completion of the operation of the thousands register. The sequence switch having been brought to its eighth position by the completion of the operation of the himdreds register will now move into its ninth position only upon the completion of the tens register, and similarly if the operation of the tens register was completed before the completion of the operation of the burn dreds register the cord finder sequence switch will notstop" in its eighth position,

lav 541, contact device 540, lefthand contacts.

of depressed units key 428 to ground and back to battery. The closure of this circuit will energize the stop relay 541, which attracts its armature 538 opening the circuit of the operating magnet 537 and thereby stopping the movement of the register in its third or No. 2 position. The same movement of the armature 538 will close at its front contact an energizing circuit for the cord finder sequence switch 222 provided this sequence switch is at this time in its ninth position. This circuit may be traced from the battery 221 through the sequence switch 222,

conductor 223, sequc'ice switch contact 216,

conductor 542. front contact and armature 533 of the stop relay 5 1-1. conductor 247, sequence switch contact 209, conductor 429, contacts 430 upon the depressed units key 428,conductor431fcontacts of the thousands key 425 to ground and back to battery. As will be readily understood from the description of the operation of the cord finder sequence switch 222 under the control of the stop relays of the thousands. hundreds and tens registers, if the cordtindersequence switch 222 is not as yet in its ninth position the closure of the circuit just traced will await the coming of such sequence switch into its ninth position and will then operate such sequence switch to drive it from its ninth into its fifteenth position, the special sequence switch contact 201 being closed all of the time that the cord finder sequence switch is moving from its ninth to its tifteenth position. As the cord finder sequence switch 222 leaves its ninth position it opens at the sequence switch contact 210 the enertinder remains in its fifteenth position, it

will be impossible for the various keys shown on sheet 4 to in any way effect the position or condition of these registers, the operation of which has just been described.

As the cord finder Sequence switch 222 assoresponse to the designation indicated by the keys as they were depressed, which designation has been taken up and indicated upon the various numerical registers, the thousands register being in its. fourth or No. 3

, position in .response to the depression-of the thousands key 425 has closed the contact device 606, the hundreds register being in its eighth or No. 7 position in response to the depression of the hundreds key 426 has closed its contact device 607, the tens register being in itssixth or No. 5 position in response to the depression of the tens key 127 has closed-the contact device 608, and the units register being in its third or No. 2

position 111 response to the depression of the units key 428 has closed the contact device 609. 7 Furthermore, as will be remembered, the district register has closed and maintains closed the contacts 632 and 602. The hundreds register, moreover, has closed the contac'ts 625 and the units, register has closed the contacts 610. Lhe closureof these contacts 610 and 625 is, however, without effect in accomplishing the connection under consideration but these contacts are closed for purposes i hich will hereinafter appear in connection with a call directed to an exchange of a different character. It will be remembered that the sender sequence switch is now in its sixth position having con-' trolled already the district and otfice selection, and on moving into its sixth position closed sequence switch contact 307. A circuit, therefore, is now established by the closure of the sequence switch contact 211 closed in thetenth to fifteenth positions, inclusive, of the cord finder sequence switch,

from the battery through the sender sequence switch 336, sequenceswitch contact 307, conductor248, sequence switch contact 211 to ground and back tobattery; The sender sequence switch 336 will upon the closure of thiscircuit moveout of its sixth position into its seventh position opening the sequence switch contact 307 and closing again sequence switch contacts 309, 310, 311

" aud 312, as well as the contacts 313 and 316.

The olosuxie. of the sequencer-switch contact;

313 in this instance is without effect. but it is closed for purposes which will be hereiir after described.

Upon the closure of the sequence switch contact 309 the selecting or controlling circuit 1 13, 114 will be again closed through the stepping relay. 701 and the armature 721 and its back contact of the cutoii relays 719. The closure of this circuit will as before, by the inclusion of the battery usually and customarily associated, with the selector switching apparatus at the distant end of the circuit, -energize the stepping relay 701, which will thereupon attract its armature 702. This armature 702 will close at its front contact the energizing circuit of the first counting relay 711, as has been heretofore described in connection with the dis trict and oflice selection. Upon the deenen gization of the stepping relay 701 its armature 702 in retracting will close a circuit for the first countingv relay 713, which circuit' as has been-heretofore described in connection with previous selections and as will vious that as before the counting relays 711 and 713 will be oneQafter another encrgized and locked up in response to the alternate energization and deenergization of the stepping'relay 701 until the counting relay 713, a'sscciatedwith the contact device 606 of the thousands register, is energized, at which time, due to the sequence switch 336 being in its seventh position, a circuit is establishedfiom the battery 718 through the cutoff relays 719,'sequence switch canta ct 316, conductor 611, contact device 606, conductor 723, front contact and armature 717 of the last operated counting relay 713, which inthis instance will be the fourthsuch counting relay, to ground and back to battery. It will be noted that'this circuit will be closed upon the fourth alternate energiza; tion and deenergization of the stepping relay 701, the contact device 6.06 being closed in the fourth or No.3 position of the thousands register and indicating that the'line desired is in the fourth thousand of the lines of the exchange'to which selection is being made. as is the fact in the case assumed.

. The closure of this 'circu it'energizes the cutoif relays 719 opening the controlling circuit 113, 114 at thewarmature 721 and thereby momentarily'opening andfagain closing the sequence switch contacts 309, 310, 311, 312, opening thgsequence switch contact 316 and 

